RELEASE DATE: 1/03/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIE MEN DOWN LOCK HAVEN 89-69 TO IMPROVE TO 11-2 – BRANDON DeSHIELDS TOPS FIVE PLAYERS IN DOUBLE-FIGURES WITH 19 POINTS

LOCK HAVEN – Brandon DeShields topped five Mountaineers in double figures with 19 points to lead Mansfield University to an 89-69 win over Lock Haven University in a PSAC crossover contest at Thomas Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.

“We made some adjustments and played much better defensively in the second half,” said head coach Vince Alexander. “It took us a little while to get things going, but when we did we controlled the game.”

After a sluggish first half that saw the Mountaineers turn the ball over 13 times, Mansfieldquickly extended a 36-34 advantage at intermission to a 47-36 lead just over three minutes into the second half.

Lock Haven managed to close the gap to 55-51 with 10:41 to play, but the Mountaineers would go on an 18-4 run over the next three and a half minutes to put the game out of reach with a 73-55 lead on a Brett Longpre’ layup with 6:02 to play.

Mansfield, which played much of the second half without leading scorer and rebounder Omari Pearson with four fouls, connected on 55.4% from the field while holding Lock Haven to 39.1%. The Mountaineers also held a 40-29 rebounding advantage and blocked seven shots in the game.

Pearson recorded his eighth double-double of the season scoring all 12 of his points in the first half while pulling down 12 rebounds. Bill McNeil scored 15 points with Ian Connor accounting for 13 and Brett Longpre’ 13. Longpre’ became just the fourth Mountaineer to surpass the 1,500 point milestone and now has 1,506 in his career.

James Chappell led Lock Haven (0-10) with 21 points.

Mansfieldimproved to 11-2 overall and will have a week off before hosting Slippery Rock next Saturday.

| Main Sports Page | News Page | ©2003 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Send comments to Sports Information Department